Cyril, Mnangagwa bid to save Kabila

South Africa and Zimbabwe's presidents apparently discussed the former DRC leader's predicament and agreed the treason charges were not fair

- Lenin Ndebele

President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa are working to persuade Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi to drop treason charges against his predecessor Joseph Kabila.

Prosecuting Kabila could set a bad precedent in the region, months after the end of another tiff between former presidents, Ian Khama and Mokgweetsi Masisi, in Botswana.

Masisi, who stepped down after an electoral loss in October, had pushed Khama into exile for years, forcing him to spend time between South Africa, eSwatini and the UK, where he was born.

Since fleeing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2023, Kabila has been shuttling between Zimbabwe and South Africa, where he was doing postgraduate studies.

He returned to his country in June, setting up base in the M23-controlled North Kivu capital, Goma.

He faces charges including treason, complicity with the armed group M23, crimes against humanity and massive corruption during his 18-year presidency.

The DRC military auditor general has asked for the death sentence if the former president is convicted.

Mnangagwa hosted Ramaphosa in Harare on 29 August, where the latter opened the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show.